FLOOD02102

• County: Statewide
• Title: Floods of June 1965 in Arkansas River Basin, Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico
• Date: 1/1/1974
• Prepared For: Arkansas River Basin
• Prepared By: USGS
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Flood Documentation Report

ARKANSAS RIVER BASIN, COLORADO, KANSAS. NEW MEXICO DI9

180

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(71) Peak near Coolidge, Kans,"""^ 1\

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I \ I r (72) At By,acuso, Kans.

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I (59) At lamar,COIO.\

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(54) Below John Martin
Reservoir, Colo.

170

160

150

Q 140
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8
~ 130
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~ 120
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~ 110
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~ 100
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Q 90
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:i 80
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~ 70
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~ 60
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!1 50
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25 40

30

20

10

14

15

16

17
JUNE 1965

18

19

20

FIGURE 9. _ Discharge hydrographs from selected gaging stations on Arkansas River, John
Martin Reservoir, Colo., to Syracuse, Kans. Number in parentheses is site number (pI. 1).

Outstanding floods occurred on June 17 on the south-bank tributaries
(Smith Arroyo and Wolf, Granada, and Two Butte Creeks) between Clay
Creek and the State line. Wolf Creek had a peak discharge of 35,300 cfs and
flooded the town of Granada, Triggered by rains of over 9 inches at Two
Buttes and 11 inches near Holly on June 17, the floodwaters of Two Butte
Creek reached a peak discharge of 82,600 cfs above Two Buttes Reservoir
and increased to 182,000 cfs at the mouth, overtopping the reservoir
enroute.
The peak discharges measured on June 17 on the tributaries between Clay
Creek and the State line totaled nearly 255,000 cfs. The peak flow of the
Arkansas River at Holly, Colo., was probably less than this amount because
of attenuation and because of differences in distances traveled, but it must